2016, the first workshop led by SECORE about sexual coral restoration was held at the Cape Eleuthera Institute and for the first time elkhorn coral recruits were successfully produced in the Bahamas.

This August, an Acropora Spawning Expedition will take place, supported by the Atlantis Resort on-site, with the aim to collect and raise spawn of elkhorn and staghorn corals, as well as the hybrid of the two.

Spawning times of coral species within the Bahamas are rare. Accordingly, we plan to do a Coral Spawning Cruise Bahamas, together with the Perry Institute for Marine Sciences and the Shedd Aquarium, to document as many as possible spawning times for different coral species in September. Our fearless―and hopefully tireless―diving team will do night dives in shifts to monitor the nightly trysts of corals.

The NOVA Southeastern University, namely Nicole Fogarty and her lab, are likewise part of of our project team. They do research on coral hybrid restoration, which may be more resilient in a changing environment. The famous elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn coral (A. cervicornis) hybrid, A. prolifera, is relatively abundant in Bahamian reefs. Therefore, to study hybrid restoration is an additional aspect of our joint effort.

Coral reefs throughout the Caribbean have faced disturbing changes within the last few decades (status of Caribbean coral reefs by NOAA). This includes coastal development, followed by land run off and pollution, as well as overfishing, sea-urchin die-offs―killing the grazers to keep algae growth low―and coral diseases that have altogether led to degraded reefs in many areas. Reef-building species such as the endangered elkhorn and staghorn corals (Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis) have shrunken to alarmingly low numbers with natural coral recruitment rates at very low to non-existent rates. Conservation and, regarding the low natural recruitment, especially restoration efforts are therefore urgently needed.

Recent surveys of reefs in The Bahamas has shown a decline in coral coverage to an average of only 10-15% cover―depending on reef zone―and high coverage of seaweed.

Bahamian Reefs suffer the same problems as most reefs in the Caribbean, but to add up to the already long list of challenges for coral survival the waters around the Bahamas Islands are mostly shallow. This means, water temperature raises more easily, leading to extensive algal growth, in turn fostered by elevated nutrient levels, and reoccurring coral bleaching.

Our project complements other efforts to restore coral populations, such as in situ nurseries and micro-fragmentation, increase grazing by restoring Diadema populations and protecting parrotfish, and the creation of marine protected areas to cover 20% of the nearshore waters of The Bahamas.